Type 44 seat belt swapping problem

[DeWitt Harrison]

Some years back, I acquired new factory front seat belts
for my '88 5kcs. Just recently, I installed them only to
find that they are somewhat different than the originals.
The upper b-pillar mounting shackle, the piece of
hardware the belt slides through, was shaped differently.
For example, the plastic over-molding was too fat to
pass through the access slot in the b-pillar trim panel
without a little modification. Additionally, the small
plastic trim cover that covers the exposed metal part
on the 5k's seat belt shackle doesn't fit quite correctly.

I suspect my new seat belt set are upgraded parts to
be compatible with later model type 44s such as the
'89-'91 200s or the V8s. Investigating the upper b-pillar
seat belt attachment point arrangement of the newer
cars showed that the seat belt emerges from behind
the b-pillar trim panel much higher on the pillar
via a more streamlined looking height adjustment
mechanism than that of my 5kcs.

My thought was to obtain b-pillar trim parts and
mounting hardware from a newer car and do a conversion.
A q-lister who is parting out a V8 tried to help me out
but the Procon belt tensioning cables foiled his attempt
to remove stuff. I've also noticed in the family album
that there seems to have been various stages of evolution
in the front seat belt system. I'm feeling I may be better
off trying to make a conversion to a belt system closer in
model year to my own. Perhaps a '89 200.

What was the first model year that Audi made front
seat belt tensioning part of the Procon system in the
type 44 cars? This and any other helpful type 44 seat
belt wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

DeWitt Harrison
'88 5kcstq